Look: Nursing Home Recreates Popular Album Covers with Residents and Staff
People on lockdown have had to find some creative ways to keep themselves occupied while they wait things out. Those still working have work to attend to, but the retired community?
Well, some of them at Sydmar Lodge Care Home in Edgeware, England, are recreating famous album covers, thanks to a dedicated employee and talented photographer.
“I’m Activities Co-ordinator at Sydmar Lodge Care home where the Residents have been in Lockdown for 4 months and it’s been my job and privilege to keep them entertained during the COVID crisis with no outside entertainers or family,” Robert Speker wrote on a GoFundMe page this week.
“As this situation is on-going it could be months before the situation changes for them and the need to keep them happy entertained and full of spirit has never been more crucial.”
“Elderly people will remain in lockdown for a long time, and I want to make their time as happy and full of enjoyment and interest as possible.”
Speker first shared the photos on social media on July 10, and they quickly went viral.
— Robert Speker (@robertspeker) July 10, 2020
“Sydmar Lodge Care Home residents and carers have been recreating classic album covers,” Speker said. “The home has now been in lockdown for 4 months.”
A variety of classic album covers have been recreated, including iconic covers from Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Madonna and David Bowie — all of them involving the residents or staff.
“These are superb Robert…you warmed my heart and made me weep,” one person commented. “Great idea of yours and humble thanks to all your brilliant residents & carers for taking part. Who chose the album covers? Will there be a 2nd volume? Witty but filled with compassion & humanity too.”
“I had taken Sheila, 93, for example, at her bequest to see Rag’n’Bone Man perform live and had arranged for her to meet him beforehand, so that was an obvious choice,” Speker wrote in response. “If you see the actual album cover, it is the signed one that Rag’n’Bone Man gave to her.”
Requests for future installments were made, and people were suggesting that if a calendar were made, they would buy it.
— Robert Speker (@robertspeker) July 10, 2020
“We have just launched a gofund me to raise money for activities for all the residents whilst they remain in lockdown,” Speker tweeted in an update on the thread.
As of Friday morning, the GoFundMe page had raised over $3,500 — but instead of using the money for future activities, the nursing home residents conferred with one another and decided to donate the money to charity.
It’s clear that both residents and staff at Sydmar Lodge know how to have fun — and that they’re kind as well.
Keep your eyes peeled for what they come up with next!
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